US Missile Shield Not Aimed at Russia – McFaul

MOSCOW, March 25 (RIA Novosti)

The U.S. missiles planned for basin in Europe have no capability against Russian missiles, U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul said on his Twitter account on Sunday.

“Our missiles planned for basing in Europe will not be aimed at Russia and have no capability against Russian missiles,” McFaul said.

On Friday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said time was running out for the West to come up with new proposals to secure Russia's agreement to a missile defense shield in Europe.

"We have time (for an agreement) but it is running out, and I think that it would be in our mutual benefit to reach mutually acceptable agreements," Medvedev told a security conference.

Moscow is unconvinced by NATO's argument that the planned missile defense shield was intended as protection against a missile attack by countries such as Iran, Medvedev added.

Despite the fact that relations between NATO and Moscow have grown sour lately over the European missile shield plans, the sides have cooperated closely in the war in Afghanistan and in a number of anti-drug and anti-piracy missions.

Moscow is preparing to allow NATO to use an airport in Ulyanovsk, the birthplace of Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin, to transit soldiers and military cargo to and from Afghanistan ahead of the alliance’s pullout from the war-torn Central Asian state.